Rockets not expected to seek Fred VanVleet replacement

Fred VanVleet's ACL tear has rocked the Houston Rockets. Ime Udoka's team was poised to be among the heavy favorites to win the 2026 NBA championship following the addition of Kevin Durant. 

Under Udoka, the Rockets have taken significant developmental steps and are now back near the top of the Western Conference. However, VanVleet's injury-forced absence will be a blow. He's a veteran leader on the roster, and his playmaking was a core part of how Udoka's team was likely to approach the season.

However, Houston isn't expected to seek a replacement for VanVleet ahead of the Feb. 5 trade deadline. According to NBA insider Jake Fischer, the Rockets are expected to delegate their playmaking among multiple members of the roster.

"No reactionary moves are expected from Houston following Fred VanVleet's devastating torn ACL sustained earlier this week during the Rockets' own mini-camp," Fischer reported. "At least not yet."

VanVleet played in 60 games for the Rockets last season. He averaged 14.1 points, 3.7 rebounds and 5.6 assists, shooting 37.8% from the floor. His production will be hard to replicate. Fortunately for the Rockets, they still have multiple young talents who can step up and continue their development in a more ball-dominant role.

Alperen Sengun can thrive as an offensive hub 

The most logical adjustment for Udoka will be to run more of the offense through Alperen Sengun. The 23-year-old big man has thrived when being tasked with initiating offense, either as a dribble hand-off creator or when using his passing to find cutters coming off screens.

Sengun's own scoring versatility adds another layer to his overall threat when he has the ball in his hands. Factor in the gravity that Durant will command, and there's a solid recipe for success. Of course, the downside to running your offense through a big man is that it forces the overall team to play at a much slower tempo. 

Udoka will likely spend the duration of training camp formulating a plan to ease the pressure of VanVleet's loss. However, on paper, Sengun projects to be the biggest beneficiary of the additional touches that VanVleet's absence will generate. And that could be ideal for his long-term development into one of the best centers in the NBA.